Valve mechanism.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

G. S. BOWES.

VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22. 1907.

yaw TOR A llarnq 1' pressure employed.

GEORGE SIDNEY BOWES, OF MONESSEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 80, 1908.

Application filed April 22, 1907. Serial No. 369,631.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE SIDNEY BoWEs, of Monessen, in the county of Test moreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description 01' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to-which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in valve mechanism and more particularly to such as are adapted for use with hydraulic apparatus.

Heretofore much difficulty has been experienced with valves for use in hydraulic apparatus on account of leaks due to the high Such leaks have resulted in reducing the etliciency of the apparatus, wasting water and destroying the valve itself, thus entailing much expense on account of delay and repairs. Diflieulty has also been experienced in the operation of such valves on account of the high pressure against them resisting the movement of the inlet valve against the pressure generated by the com ressor.

The 0 ject of my present invention is to overcome these difficulties and to so construct the valve mechanism as to insure the pro er seating of the valves and to so operate saic valves as to avoid marring either the valves or their seats and thus preventing the same from becoming irregularly worn and refusing to close sufiiciently tight to prevent leakage.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means to relieve the pressure against the inlet valve when the latter is to be operated to open communication between the compressor and the cylinder of the hydraulic machine.

A further object is to provide a pilot or auxiliary valve by means of which water may be permitted to have a retarded flow from the compressor to the chamber above the inlet controlling valve ior the purpose of counter-balancing or counteracting the compressor pressure which holds the inlet controlling valve against its seat and thus permitting said valve to be opened with ease.

A further object is to provide a ilot valve arran ement such as above descri ed, which shall e so constructed as to permit a slow passage of water to the cylinder of the hydraulic machine.

A further object is to provide sim lo and el'licient means for operating the in ct and exhaust valves of a hydraulic valve mechanism, which means shall be constructed and arranged as to insure the closing of one of said valves while the other is open.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a valve mechanism embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a side view 01 the operating devices. Fig. 3 is a view in section on line of Fig. 1.

1 represents the valve casing, closed at its lower end by means of a plate 2, and provided at its upper end with a gland 3 for the passage of the operating devices for, the valves. The casing 1 is provided near its lower end with an inlet 4 to be connected with a suitable compressor, and in a higher plane the casing is provided with an outlet 5 to be connected with the cylinder of a hydraulic machine. An exhaust outlet 6 is provided in the casing in a plane above that of the outlet 5. A ring 7 1s secured within the valve chamber just above the lane of the inlet 4 and the lower ed e of tiis ring provides a seat 8 for an inlet controlling valve 9. the casing above the outlet 5 and provides a seat 11 for a valve 12 which controls the passage of water to the exhaust outlet 6.

The inlet valve 9 is made in the form of a plunger, the lower portion of which hasa working fit within a recess or chamber 13 in the bottom plate 2 and is provided with a series of circumferential grooves 14 (which may if desired contain packing material) for the purpose of retarding the passage of water entering the inlet 4 to the chamber 13. A seat 15 is located within the plunger valve 9 for a pilot valve 16 which will be held closed by the pressure of water within the chamber 13, and a spring beneath it if desired. The upper portion of the plunger valve 9 is recessed to receive a ring 17 which constitutes a portion of the valve and is made with a beveled outer face to cooperate with a flange Another ring 10 is secured within 18 offithe valve for holdinggin placega ing 19 i of rubber, leather or other suitable yielding material which bears against the seat 8 and efiects the perfect closing of the valve. The valve 9 always moves in a direction toward and away from its seat and never turns relatively thereto. Consequently there will be no grinding of the valve against its seat to wear the ring 8 and any small particle which might find its way between this valve and its seat would not, (due to the resilient quality of the ring 19) prevent the tight seating oi' the valve. The ring 17 affords a chamber 20 above the pilot valve and this chamber communicates with a recess 21 in the top of said ring. A valve stem 22 is secured to the pilot. valve 16 and is of appreciably less diameter than that of the chamber 20. The stem 22 is provided with a collar or enlargement 23 to operate within the recess 21 and this collar or enlargement is made with a series of holes 24 communicating at their lower ends with the recess 21 and at their upper ends with the valve chamber above the valve 9. From collar or enlargement 23 the stem 22 extends upwardly through a sleeve 25 to a point a distance above the casing 1. The sleeve 25 passes through the gland 3 at the top of the valve casing and extends some distance above the same. The lower end of the sleeve 25 is provided with an enlargement which constitutes the exhaust valve 12, said valve being provided with packing 26 held in place by suitable collar 27 ,and it will be observed that this valve is located directly in line with the outlet 5.

The stem 22 for the inlet valve and the sleeve 25 which constitutes the stem for the exhaust valve, are connected at their upper ends with operating means which will cause the valves to either approach or to recede from each other. If they recede the upper or exhaust valve will come hard against the immovable seat 11 and upon continuation of the force the lower or inlet valve will be forced off its seat, allowing the water to pass to the cylinder of the hydraulic machine. Upon a reversal of the movement the inlet valve, assisted by the pressure of water from the compressor, will return to its seat and close the supply to the cylinder. A continuation of the movement will pull the exhaust valve off its seat against the weight of water in the cylinder and connections, at the same time holding inlet valve closed. The two valves cannot therefore be open at the same time and water cannot flow through and be wasted. Neither valve can be opened without pulling and holding the. other one shut. These movements of the valves may be accomplished in various ways but the devices herein shown are believed to be quite simple and eflicient and will now be described.

The upper end of the tubular stem or sleeve 25 is provided with a forked bracket 28 which may be screwed thereon. This In the drawings both valves are shown closed and it may be assumed that the cylinder of the hydraulic machine and the connections therewith are filled withwater. Should it now be desired to open communication between the compressor and the cylinder, the lever 32 will be raised and as the exhaust valve is hard against its seat the result of this movement of the lever will be to move the inlet valve 9 off its seat and thus estab lish communication between the inlet 4 and the outlet 5. If the lever 32 be now moved a full stroke in the reverse direction the valve 9, controlling the passage of water from the compressor to the cylinder, will first be closed against its seat and as the lever is further-1noved, the exhaust valve 12 will be moved from its seat and permit water to flow through the exhaust outlet 6 and thus relieve pressure in the cylinder.

I have above described the operation of the inlet and exhaust valves without regard to the pilot valve and will now proceed to explain the manner of operating and the effect produced by this pilot valve. To open the inlet, downward pressure is brought to bear on the stem 22 until the pilot valve 16 is forced off its seat. Water has been permitted to enter the chamber 13 in the bot tom plate 2 in manner before explained and when the pilot valve has been opened, water from this chamber will be permitted to pass upward into the annular chamber 20 surrounding the stem 22 and then through the holes 24 in the collar 23 into the valve chamber above the inlet valve 9. This tends to bring pump-pressure to bear on the upper side of the plunger inlet valve 9 and counteract upward pressure in the inlet cylinder below said valve. l/Vhen by this means the pressure on the plunger valve 9 has been reduced, a further downward movement of the stem 22 will force said valve 03 its seat and thus afford free communication between the inlet 4 and the cylinder outlet 5. In the event of the cylinder of the hydraulic machine not having sufiicient load upon it to allow a suitable pressure to be attained in said cylinder to counteract the pump-pressure, the parts are so proportioned that the opening in the plunger-valve 9 shall be so great that water can pass out of the chamber 13 in the bottom plate much more readily than it can pass the grooves 14 in the plunger valve when the pilot valve 16 is oif its seat. By varying the size of. the plunger valve valve, as' above explained, it will be observed that said pilot-valve may be utilized to give a slow admission of water to the cylinder of the hydraulic machine.

With the use of my improvements there is no chance for water to escape around the stems, because they do not project outside the body of the valve, except at the top,

where as will be seen, there is nothing but the back pressure of the exhaust to be held. It will also be observed that the pressure of the pump or accumulator is on the packing I 26 only for the interval of the operation of the machine and this part is perfectly tight. The working parts are out of the water and can be at all times perfectly lubricated. WVhen repairs are necessary they can be quickly made.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope and hence I do not desire to be restricted to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. Hydraulic valve mechanism comprising a casing having inlet and outlet ports and provided in its bottom with-a chamber, a main supply valve having a working fit in said chamber and adapted at its upper end to open and close communication between the inlet and outlet ports, said valve having an opening therethrough for the passage of water from the chamber in the bottom of the casing to a chamber above the valve, a pilot valve for closing said opening, a rod secured to the pilot valve and provided with a perforated collar to enter a recess in the top of the plunger valve, whereby when the stem is depressed the pilot valve will be opened and when said stem shall have been further depressed the plunger valve will be moved off its seat.

2. Hydraulic valve mechanism comprising a casing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports, a valve between the inlet and outlet ports, an exhaust valve between the outlet and exhaust port, a tubular stem on the exhaust valve, a stern for the first mentioned valve passing through the tubular valve stem, a lever and a cam plate secured to said lever and connected with the two valve stems for moving them in reverse directions to close one valve and open the other.

3. Hydraulic valve mechanism comprising a casing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports, an inlet valve between the inlet and outlet ports, an exhaust valve between the outlet and exhaust ports, a tubular stem projecting from the exhaust valve, a stem connected with the inlet valve and passing through the tubular stem of the exhaust valve, a bracket secured to said tubular stem, a plate having a cam slot, a stud projecting from said bracket and entering the cam-slot, a connection between said plate and the stem of the inlet valve and means for operating said plate to open one of said *valves and close the other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE SIDNEY BOWES.

Witnesses:

EDMOND JEFFRIES, E. C. Jnrrnrns. 

